Gold Fields’ long-term partnership with the Foundation for the WA Museum continues to demonstrate what practical, community‑centred impact looks like across regional Western Australia. Together with the Museum of the Goldfields, these organisations are investing in initiatives that build cultural understanding, support local participation, and deepen connection to Country.
Expanding Cultural Learning Through the Aboriginal Bush Food & Medicine Garden
The expansion of the Aboriginal Bush Food & Medicine Garden at the Museum of the Goldfields has created a welcoming space that strengthens cultural knowledge and awareness. Integrated directly into the Museum’s education programs, the garden enables students to learn about Aboriginal knowledge systems, cooking practices and medicinal uses.
This approach fosters intercultural learning, encourages respect for traditional knowledge and helps young people connect to Country in meaningful ways. The garden, with its yarning circle and firepit, reinforces the Museum’s role as a place where culture, learning and community come together.
Since the project began in June 2025, almost 50, 000 people have visited the Bush Food & Medicine Garden including over 900 education participants.
Goldfields Recipe Competition
To celebrate the garden and strengthen regional engagement, the Foundation for the WA Museum launched the Goldfields Bush Cooking Competition, supported by Gold Fields and the Museum of the Goldfields. The six‑week initiative invited local residents to submit recipes featuring regional plants, seeds and other bush foods - celebrating local culinary traditions and the stories behind them.
Participants submitted recipes, ingredient lists, cooking methods and personal stories, with winners invited to a photoshoot and community sundowner event at the Museum. Promotion across regional radio, local media, social platforms and community networks drove strong engagement across Kalgoorlie and the wider Goldfields region.
“Our core objective was clear: celebrate local ingredients and the rich food traditions of the region whilst positioning the Bush Food & Medicine Garden as a shared community learning space.
The competition encouraged storytelling through cultural connections, strengthening community pride. Our tagline “share the recipe, tell the story “ captures everyday community voices.” Coralie Bishop – CEO, Foundation for the WA Museum
Credit: Courtesy of the WA Museum
Enhancing Visitor Experience Through Regional Digital Audio Guides
Another key initiative supported by Gold Fields is the rollout of Regional Digital Audio Guides, designed to deepen visitor engagement across all four regional museum locations: the Museum of the Goldfields in Kalgoorlie, the Museum of Geraldton, the Museum of the Great Southern in Albany and Gwoonwardu Mia in Carnarvon.
Interpretation and visitor outreach sit at the core of the Museum’s mission - welcoming people in, sparking curiosity and sharing stories with care. By combining accessible programs with immersive, connected audio guides, visitors can explore exhibitions at their own pace while accessing layered stories, personal reflections and context tailored to varying interests and needs.
“This project represents an exciting evolution in how regional stories are shared, experienced and preserved. By combining digital innovation with authentic community storytelling, the regional Museums are able to create richer, more meaningful connections between people and place while strengthening cultural tourism, educational engagement and accessibility. Gold Fields is proud to be able to support such a meaningful project that will have a lasting impact.” Claire Walker - Vice President
External Affairs Australia, Gold Fields
These digital guides enhance accessibility, support diverse learning styles and make each visit more memorable and inclusive. They ensure that regional museums remain relevant, connected and valued by their communities - strengthening the same principles of cultural learning, participation and storytelling that underpin the Bush Food & Medicine Garden and the Bush Cooking Competition.
Impact in Action
Together, these initiatives show how corporate partnerships can deliver practical, community‑driven outcomes across regional Western Australia. They demonstrate that meaningful investment in culture, education and local heritage creates lasting value - not through large‑scale infrastructure, but through thoughtful engagement with the people, stories and traditions that define the Goldfields and the wider regional museum network.
By Foundation for the WA Museum
